Prime & Provisions
Old-school steakhouse muscle, California-forward list
Chicago Loop · Chicago · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walk into Prime & Provisions and the list immediately signals what this place is about: power moves, California Cabs, and a few French heavyweights to keep things respectable. It's a steakhouse list built to impress a client, not to surprise a wine nerd. That's not a knock — it's just the game being played here.
Selection Deep Dive
With 400-600 selections, the depth is real — but the range skews hard toward California and Bordeaux, which is exactly what the room wants. Expect Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Far Niente, Stag's Leap, and Peter Michael doing most of the heavy lifting on the American side, while Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages represent France with appropriate gravitas. Dominus and Opus One cover the prestige-buy column for when someone wants to make an impression. What you won't find is much adventure — Burgundy, Rhône, Italy, and the Southern Hemisphere feel like afterthoughts on a list that knows its audience and stays in its lane.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is a generous program for a steakhouse of this caliber, and with Jessica Mercer running the wine side, you'd expect the rotation to be purposeful rather than random. The glass program almost certainly leans toward big reds to complement the dry-aged beef that's the kitchen's main event — expect Cabernet options to dominate.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $80-$100
In a room where bottles can sprint past $250 without blinking, Jordan is the steadying hand. It's classic Alexander Valley Cab that drinks well with steak, doesn't require a finance background to justify, and holds its own against bottles twice the price on this list.
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon
Most tables at Prime & Provisions are reaching for Caymus or Silver Oak out of habit. Montelena is the quieter choice — Napa royalty with more structure and age-worthiness than the crowd-pleasers, and it tends to fly under the radar on lists like this where flashier names get the oxygen.
Opus One
Yes, it's iconic. Yes, the bottle looks great on the table. But at a steakhouse with this kind of markup, Opus One is paying a luxury tax on top of an already steep price. You're buying the name more than the glass, and several bottles on this list will drink just as well for a fraction of the cost.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Stag's Leap has the tannin structure and dark fruit depth to stand up to the intense, funky richness of a dry-aged ribeye without trying to overpower it. It's the Napa Cab that actually converses with the meat instead of just yelling alongside it.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Prime & Provisions earns its Wine Spectator credential — the list is well-curated, the staff knows their stuff, and the setting delivers on the steakhouse promise. Just come in knowing you're paying Loop prices for Loop prestige, and budget accordingly.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.